Just You and Me
by Fhockey42
Summary: Romanogers fluff. Black Widow and Captain America in their romantic/everyday life. The Avengers duo has been together ever since the Winter Soldier encounter. They are nearly inseparable, and their love for each other is a thing to be admired. I do not own anything, just a fluff storyline that I thought of! :) This is the first thing I've uploaded, feel free to leave a review!
1. The Revealing

Natasha's world has revolved around Steve. She loves him more than she can express to him. Although, she knows there is no turning back now. All those years in training: training for one thing specifically. Nonchalance.

The Black Widow has been trained to have no emotions. No sadness. No fear. And most definitely, no love.

But Steve changed all of this. He has showed her that no matter how hard she tries; she cannot suppress her true feelings. Especially when it comes to him.

_God, I love him_, Natasha thought as she watched his chest soundlessly rise and fall, like waves crashing upon the shoreline.

It should have been a typical day. Go to work at S.H.I.E.L.D., then come home to Steve. The couple has been living at Stark Towers, along with the other Avengers (with the exception of Thor, who comes and goes as he pleases). She loves her new life and fresh start with her now friends, Pepper, Maria, and everyone else in the tower. Even the romantic tension between Clint and her has subsided, and life could not be any better for the redhead beauty.

But today would be far from ordinary. Natasha had already called S.H.I.E.L.D. to let Nick know that she and Steve aren't coming in to work today. They have much bigger things to discuss.

Yes, it terrifies her, but she knows she has to tell him.

_This is what he wants after all, isn't it?_

She hated this. All the questions, the uncertainty. It scared her more than she cared to admit. But she has ignored this growing…problem? Issue? Blessing?

Whatever Steve wants to call it, she has to divulge this growing matter. It's too important to ignore any longer. And besides, she can't really hide it for much longer. This secret is eating away at her like rust on an old bicycle. It's been two months, and the Black Widow has come to terms that she cannot face this alone.

"Nat? What's wrong?"

His concerned, but nonetheless beautiful voice startled her. She checked the clock on her nightstand to see that it was 3:42 am. She had been miles away, and didn't even realize how long she had been lying awake, letting her mind wander.

"Please don't do that to me Steve."

"Then tell me what's wrong Tash. I know you too well. You're not here with me. You're inside your head."

She couldn't help but smile a little bit to herself. After two years of marriage, it still surprised her how well Steve could read her. He's the only person that can look through her.

Natasha instinctively pulled the navy blue sheets of their bed over her head, covering her fiery red hair.

"Babe, you've been acting this way for weeks. I'm really starting to worry. Please, just tell me what's wrong. Let me help you. You have you're armor on, and I want to peel it away. I love you."

Nat felt a surge in her chest as it her heart was melting.

_I can do this. I have had to face tougher obstacles than this in the past. It's time to be brave and face reality._

"Steve, we're not going to work today," Natasha timidly murmered through the cotton fabric of the sheets.

"Okay, this is a start. And why aren't we going to work today love?"

As he questioned, he simultaneously pulled the sheet down from her face, revealing those bright blue eyes that reminded him of a blue tulip. He could tell she was scared. Her eyes, huge and wide, pleaded with him as if she were struggling to break free of some invisible force holding her back.

"Please don't be mad at me," she barely whispered as her eyes began to fill with water. Whatever this thing restraining his wife was, Steve immediately knew that it was serious. Natasha _never_ cried.

"Shh, shh, honey whatever it is, it's alright," he did his best at comforting her. He sat upright in the bed, and pulled her slender body into his lap. It was truly amazing how she conformed to him. Her head leaning against his chest, as his strong, muscular arms caressed and cradled her.

She was almost consumed by him, but they were each other's soul mates. Steve slowly and rhythmically stroked her red hair, waiting for her to tell him what has been plaguing her. He would be patient with her.

_I will go to the ends of the universe to be with you_, he thought.

They sat like this for almost an hour. Hot blood running through his veins to keep her warm. Suddenly, her body tensed, and he released his hold on her. She pulled herself upright, and moved across from him.

Natasha sat facing her husband.

_This is it_, she repeated to herself over and over until she mustered up the courage to believe her own words.

"Steve," she said in her most delicate voice, looking directly into his baby blue eyes. God, she loved him.

"I know I've been acting strange for the past month or so. And don't interrupt me, but I'm sorry. I know I can be a bitch normally, but you don't deserve to be treated like this. And, I know you're concerned," she continued, gazing up at his changing expression, "but you shouldn't be because there's a reason for this." She took a deep breath and just let it out. Arching her eyebrows and looking at her husband through puppy dog eyes, she admitted,

"Steve, I'm…um, we're pregnant."


	2. Like a Kid on Christmas

His eyes lit up like a child's eyes on Christmas day.

Natasha cautiously studied his reaction as she waited for the verdict. He stared hard into her eyes; their gazes locked in on one another as if they were both staring into the same person. His deep brown eyebrows dropped down from their arches, and for a moment, Steve wore a blank expression that scared the hell out of her.

_Oh my God. I've ruined his life. How will he ever forgive me for this?_ The mind of the always-collected Black Widow was racing, and for that brief moment, she thought that she had failed her husband.

However, just a slight flicker of movement changed everything.

The left corner of his tender lips began to move slowly towards the sky. This one moment seemed like an eternity for Natasha. It is truly incredible how Steve can make her feel. All at once, the anxiety disappeared and the weight bearing down on Natasha's shoulders was lifted. The coat of uneasiness that has surrounded her for the past 8 weeks has finally come off.

_This is my reality,_ Natasha thought to herself as Steve interrupted,

"Are you positive?" The grin on his face could not be contained or suppressed any longer, and the newfound sparkle in his baby blue eyes reassured Natasha that Steve would be forever on her side.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure Steve," she giddily proclaimed while reaching for her handbag. After a minute of rifling through its contents, she found the evidence she was looking for. Mimicking her husband, Natasha now had a huge grin on her face that she could not wipe off (even if she wanted to). She took his large hands in hers, and handed him the envelope.

Steve gingerly took the mystery envelope from his wife and began to open it. Inside, there laid a strip of pictures—Nat's hard evidence.

As the Captain further examined the pictures, his wife couldn't help but let out a laugh as he furrowed his brows.

"What is this supposed to be?" Steve innocently questioned, the pictures still in hand.

"Um, your child," Natasha teased as Steve continuously stared at the gray ultrasound picture.

"I went to the doctors yesterday to make sure I wasn't going crazy. And, yes, it was a S.H.I.E.L.D. doctor. She confirmed the pregnancy!" Natasha zealously explained to the ever-confused Steve. Of course, ultrasounds weren't invented until the mid-1950's.

"So, then what does this picture mean Tash?"

"Okay, so you see this big light grey space here?" Natasha pointed to the picture, walking Steve through the specifics. "Well, that's the space where the baby will grow. And do you see this tiny gray circle that's darker than the rest?"  
"Yeah, what's that?" Steve unknowingly replied.

"That's the baby," Natasha breathed as she looked into Steve's fascinated eyes. He was already so interested, and she couldn't help but to sit back and soak it all in.

"That tiny thing is the baby?"

"Yeah. Our baby, Steve."

At that, she leaned into him, and slowly pressed her lips to his. He tasted sweet like honey, and when they broke apart, she still lingered.

"Are you happy?" Natasha warily questioned her husband. She knew that he was excited, but she wasn't sure if he wanted his life to include a baby. This wasn't exactly planed, but Natasha was up for the challenge.

"Nat, you're what I want. You're the love of my life, and nothing is ever going to change that. I will go to the ends of the Earth for you, and I can't imagine doing any less for our child. I want this with all of my heart. I'm ready to take on this new responsibility, with you as my wife, and the mother of my child." This was the thing about Steve that made her heart jump out of her chest. He always knew the right thing to say to her, and could see through her armor. With Steve, the notorious Black Widow is exposed.

"Well I'm glad because there's no turning back now, Rogers," she laughed, lightening the mood and allowing the couple to celebrate. Before she could react, Steve had her up in his arms, kissing her gently, tenderly, in the way that made her want to hold onto him forever.

"Did you tell anyone else?" Steve asked the redhead.

"No, not yet. I'm only eight weeks along, and I think we should wait until I'm three months. But, I suppose we have to tell Fury so I won't be assigned any high-level missions."

"Okay, I agree with you. We don't have to tell anyone except Nick until you're ready. But I'm sure you'll start to show eventually..."

"Is that a weight joke Rogers? You know, it's not nice to make fun of a pregnant lady," Natasha teasingly said, toying with her husband as she pulled him in for a kiss.

"All right, all right enough of that," Steve retorted while flashing one of his perfectly imperfect smiles that Natasha absolutely loved. He carried her through their bedroom, and seated her in a chair at the counter. "Now, what does malady want for breakfast?"

"Some scrambled eggs would be nice Cap," Natasha replied, her chin resting in the palm of her hand.

"Good choice. Lots of protein, it will make him nice and strong."

"Excuse me? Did you just say _him_ while referring to our baby?" Natasha returned, one of her red eyebrows flipped upside down in an arch.

"Yes I did. I say that we start making bets now. I'm calling that it's a boy."

"Sure soldier, what makes you think that we're not having a daughter?"

"Because I just know these things. I've been around a long time, sweetheart," Steve retorted, nearly cracking himself up.

"Okay Rogers, whatever you say," she concluded the conversation and sealed it with a kiss from the super soldier.


	3. The Suburbs

Natasha stared at the woman looking back at her from the bathroom mirror. She had a pale complexion, but her blue-green eyes and fiery red hair made her stand out. The woman wore a skin-tight black tank top with deep blue booty shorts. It took Natasha a moment to recognize herself because of the discrepancy. Well, that _and _the fact that the clock read 6:00 am. The young adult turned sideways and placed her hands on her lower abdomen—the discrepancy. She ran her hands along her curvy hips, and back to the small bulge that was her stomach. It wasn't much as of now, but the swelling was beginning to become noticeable. A sudden noise from the doorway snapped Natasha out of her haze as she snapped her head around, turning her attention to her husband.

"Do you know what day it is today?" she queried.

"You know that I do," the super soldier responded. He walked up to his wife's back, and caressed her into an embrace. "Are you ready?" he questioned, placing his muscular hands over hers—both of them searching for the life within Black Widow.

"As ready as I'll ever be. We made a deal, and today is the three month mark." The couple had already told Fury about their situation last month. As a friend, Nick was beyond thrilled. However, as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., not so much. Natasha was stuck on desk duty until the end of her pregnancy, and Nick promised to keep Steve out of high-risk ops if he could. S.H.I.E.L.D. had been reestablished after Hydra was destroyed, and the two Avengers had agreed to stay with the organization.

Natasha twisted herself around in Steve's arms, landing a quick smooch on his perfectly shaped lips. "Come on soldier, let's get ready—before I change my mind," she taunted breathlessly as she strolled back into their bedroom. She chose to wear dark denim jeans, a flowy tan blouse (to hide what she didn't want the others to know about yet), and 4-inch wedges. She pulled her hair up in a neat ponytail that stopped just before her shoulders. They _were_ going to a party anyway. Even if it was one of Tony's "just because" parties.

Steve bent down to plant a tender kiss on Natasha's neck. The duo left their newly purchased home in Washington D.C., and made their way to Stark Tower in New York City.

* * *

Everyone greeted them warmly when they arrived. The usual crowd was all there: Bruce, Clint, Nick, Maria, Pepper, and Tony—even Thor and Jane had managed to come.

"Well look who showed up! The suburbs!" Tony sarcastically stated as soon as Steve and Natasha had walked through the door.

"We miss you too Tony," Steve responded as Pepper met them in an embrace. The couple said hello to everyone, then joined into the conversation.

"So, why did you guys move out of the city anyway?" Clint asked, looking Black Widow in the eyes.

"Well, that's kind of what we wanted to share with all of you," Steve joined in, answering for his wife. All at once, Natasha could feel eight pairs or eyes burning holes through her. Steve, sensing the shift in the mood, took Natasha's hand into his. He looked directly into her sparkling eyes, urging her to tell the truth, and giving her the confidence she needed.

"What is it Lady Natasha?" Thor impatiently asked after the brief pause. Natasha wasn't usually shy or apprehensive, especially around her closest friends. But this was different. She broke from Steve's gaze as a wide smile spread across her face.

"There's no need to hide anything now. Steve and I moved to the suburbs because we thought it would be a better place than the city to raise a child." Pepper and Maria exchanged hopeful glance, as the men remained stagnant; clueless. Natasha continued, "I'm pregnant. Steve and I are having a baby."

Maria and Pepper rushed to Natasha to congratulate her while the rest of the group waited their turn after shaking hands with Steve.

While Thor had Natasha in a bear hug, her eyes caught her husband's. They simultaneously let out a laugh as the celebration continued. _This is crazy_, the spy thought to herself, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. Bruce became the center of attention when he raised his glass and playfully stated,

"Captain America and Black Widow having a baby—what could go wrong?"

And the whole room let out loud gasps of laughter as they toasted the happy parents-to-be.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hi guys! Thanks for all the reviews and feedback! I don't know how often I'll be able to post until I am done with school for the year. I am planning on continuing this story and adding more chapters. If you have any ideas, suggestions, or would like me to incorporate/write about anything please feel free to let me know!  
-Fhockey42 :)


	4. Not The Shopping Type

Steve couldn't get the picture of the pouting redhead out of his mind. Nick had all but promised to keep him away from dangerous missions if he could—but that notion was short lived. The whole team was hanging out when the call came in. Just two short hours ago, Fury contacted all the Avengers to go on a top-secret mission. All the Avengers except Natasha, of course.

* * *

"Come on Nick, I can go!" Natasha pleaded with the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"No!" Nick, Steve, Tony, and Clint simultaneously said, looking down upon their teammate. "Sorry Nat, but there's no way in hell you're coming with us. It's way too dangerous," Clint sternly told her.

Natasha looked like a child. She firmly stood in place with her arms crossed, gazing up hard into the faces of her companions. She wasn't planning on moving.

Steve grabbed her arm and led her away to a separate room of the Triskelion. "Natasha, I know you want to come. And I also know that you're more than capable of helping us. But, please, just not this time, okay?" Steve's worried glance seemed to break through to his wife. She uncrossed her arms and looked up at him through pleading blue-green eyes.

"I know Steve," she sighed, surrendering her stance. "It's just that I feel completely helpless. I should be out there battling with you guys, and not in here sitting at this godforsaken desk pushing papers!" She ran her slender fingers through her pin-straight hair in defeat.

"Thank you," Steve replied feeling relieved. "You need to think about yourself. Nat you're four months pregnant. Go home and relax. Our baby is going to need both of its parents around." Steve profoundly said, walking towards his wife and placing a hand on her growing stomach. He pulled her into an embrace. "I love you Nat, and I need to make sure that you stay safe. Not only for you, but for our son as well," he slightly snickered at the end of this sentence.

"Here we go again Rogers," Natasha retorted with an eye roll and a small laugh. They still hadn't found out the gender of their baby, but Steve was positive that he was going to have a son in the next few months. She leaned in to him for a kiss, standing on her toes to reach his lips. "I love you too. And you need to consider yourself as well. I don't want to have to raise our daughter alone," the words hung on her lips with a small smile. Steve couldn't help but flash one of his crooked smiles at their little game, and his wife. He leaned in one last time to kiss her goodbye, and started towards the door. "Be careful Captain," Natasha shouted after her husband as he disappeared through the door.

* * *

"How do you put up with this Pepper?" Natasha melodramatically wined to her friend. Pepper had invited Natasha to stay with her while the men were away on their assignment. The team had been away for three days, and Black Widow was starting to get impatient.

"What, living with Tony?" Pepper replied, knowing that's not what her friend was talking about.

"Well yes that too. But I mean how do you put up with staying here when everyone else is away? It's driving me crazy!" By this point, Natasha was pacing back and forth across the living room. Pepper walked over and led her friend to the couch.

"You need to relax! I put up with it by preoccupying myself while they're away. All this worrying isn't good for the baby!" Natasha knew that Pepper was right. She trusted all of her teammates, but she continually feared what could happen to her husband. Especially since she wasn't there herself to watch out for him. She felt her eyes begin to water as she pictured anything happening to Steve. Stupid hormones.

"Alright I know. What do you usually do to keep your mind off of things?" Natasha questioned.

"Why don't we go shopping?" Pepper stated enthusiastically. "Have you gotten any clothes for the baby yet?" Sometimes Natasha felt that Pepper was more excited about the baby than her and Steve.

"We haven't bought anything yet," Natasha admitted. "We've been busy with work, and we're not planning on finding out the gender anyway."

"That doesn't matter!" Pepper excitedly clapped her hands together. "Let's go shop for baby clothes! I'll help you pick out neutral colors, and we'll have a great time! It's my treat. Tony and I are going to spoil this kid rotten!" Natasha wasn't really the shopping type, but she couldn't say no to Pepper. She was just too excited and willing.

"Okay, sounds good to me!" Natasha said.

The two girls went shopping all afternoon. And to be honest, Natasha's back and feet hurt. She hadn't really felt any pregnancy symptoms up until this point. Maybe it was actually a good thing she wasn't out in the field. She and Pepper had gone to at least a dozen different baby stores throughout the city. To her surprise, Natasha had bought a lot of clothes for her baby—and even thought that they were cute. Of course, Pepper picked most of them out. She wasn't the type of person who enjoyed shopping, but she had to admit that she had fun. And their trip helped to take her mind off of Steve.

"Well, I'm exhausted," Pepper sighed as the two sat down at a cafe for lunch.

"_You're_ tired Pepper?" Natasha laughed. "I'm the pregnant one. I'll gladly trade you my sore feet if you want them," Widow said through a slight smile.

"Okay you win," Pepper gave in, rolling her eyes. "But doesn't all this shopping make you excited for your baby to come? I know I'm certainly ready to have a child in the family!" Natasha hadn't really thought about her own excitement. She'd been too worried about everything up to this point. Now that she's taken a day for herself to prepare, she felt more confident.

"Actually, I am getting excited. I can't wait to see to look on Steve's face when he finds out that _I_ went shopping for baby clothes without him. I should have bought all girl outfits as a joke," Natasha admitted to her friend. All of a sudden, Natasha and Pepper's phones went off at the same time. The Black Widow anxiously unlocked it to find a message from Nick.

_Mission is complete. The team will be arriving within the next few hours at bas_e.

"Come on Pepper, let's go get them," Natasha excitedly said with a wide grin spreading across her face.

* * *

Pepper and Natasha eagerly waited by the helipad for the arrival of the team. Natasha was super excited to meet her husband, and tell him what she had been up to. Besides, she had though up a couple of really good comebacks that she wanted to test out.

Ten minutes later, the helicraft landed with the Avengers (minus Black Widow) inside. The stairs lowered and here came the men. Tony was first to exit, and went straight to Pepper. Next came Bruce, Thor, and Clint. After Clint stepped off, the stairs began to retract into the craft. Natasha's chest immediately twisted. _Where is Steve?_ Her mind began to race as Fury approached her.

"Nick…where's Steve?" Natasha worriedly questioned as she power walked toward the director.

"Calm down Natasha. Steve's not with us, he's in medical. Surgery actually. He's going to be okay." Natasha felt her knees go weak as Nick dropped down to steady her. Terrible thoughts streamed through her head as she turned away from Nick, and bolted towards the medical wing of the Triskelion.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry if this story is rushed and not that good! Iv'e been suffering from a bit of writers block. Please let me know what you think and I hope to post more chapters soon!

-Fhockey42


	5. The Facade

A/N: Hi. Sorry if this is a bit OOC. Also, I'm not a medical expert so please excuse any mistakes I may have made. I really appreciate all the reviews and feedback, and I tried to use some of it in this chapter! Enjoy!

-Fhockey42

* * *

She couldn't hear. She couldn't see straight. The only thing she felt was the dull burning sensation deep inside her lungs. She tuned out the world, her own heartbeat throbbing in her ears. She couldn't focus on anything—_anyone_, but him. The speed at which Black Widow was running probably wasn't good for the baby, but that was not her main concern at the moment.

Natasha Romanoff, breathing heavily, reached the metal doors of the medical wing and all but broke through them. Maria Hill swiftly ran over from the front desk, forcefully placing her hands on Natasha's shoulders to hold her back. "Hill, where is he?" Natasha sternly questioned, sounding much more like the Russian spy that the Avenger.

"Agent Romanoff, you know I can't let you go…" Maria stated in a sympathetic tone.

"Bull Shit! He's my husband! I will go and break down every god damn door in this place until I find him if that's what it takes!" Natasha screamed. She was trying to play the part of the Black Widow, but Maria could see the scared wife underneath the façade. Maria pulled Natasha into an empty waiting area before releasing her. Natasha felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins subside as a rush of emotions hit her like a brick wall. She slid into one of the padded chairs, placing her elbows on her hands and knees and her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do Maria," her voice came out shaky and weak.

"Is there anyone you want me to get?" Hill questioned, placing a hand on Natasha's back.

"Not unless that person is my husband. Sorry but I just need…I need to be alone right now. He needs to be okay." Maria bot respected and understood her friend's request.

* * *

Natasha found herself alone in an empty waiting room. It had been like this for the past two hours. The entire time, all she could think about was Steve. _How did this happen? He needs to be okay. For me. For our baby. I won't be able to live in a world without him_. Natasha found her breaths getting deeper and shorter as awful thoughts surfaced in her head.

"Tash?" A masculine voice questioned. Surprised, Natasha instinctively retrieved her gun from its holster, and pointed it at the 'intruder'. "Whoa, hey there it's all right, it's just me," Hawkeye responded, innocently placing his hands in the air.

"No. It's not all right Clint," she said while lowering her gun. "Jesus, nothing is all right. What the hell happened out there?"

"Well, we were all beat up pretty bad. That's when Thor came to help us out. I'm sorry Nat, but I turned my back for one second. Steve took three bullets—two in the abdomen, and one in the right side of his chest. We got out of there as soon as we could. And now, here we are." Natasha was having trouble processing everything. _Steve was shot three times just in that instant_?

"It's not your fault Clint," the spy said, barely above a whisper. "None of you are at fault. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I should have been there to protect him. I should be the one in there with three bullet holes in me…"

"Don't do this Natasha. Please don't do this," Clint abruptly cut her off.

"If anything happens to him, I don't know what I'll do," Natasha admitted, tears welling up in her green eyes. Clint had never seen her cry—let alone be vulnerable. Suddenly, a young looking nurse entered the room.

"Miss Romanoff?" The girl questioned.

"Y…yes that's me," Natasha anxiously answered, getting up from the chair she had occupied for the past three hours.

"Are you Captain Rogers' wife?"

"Yes I am. Is he..." the Black Widow trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

"He's out of surgery—in recovery. He can only have one visitor though," the nurse said, gesturing towards Clint.

"I need to see him. Is he going to be okay?" Natasha anxiously questioned, preparing herself for the news.

"Yes, he will be fine," the nurse said through a small smile. "We were able to remove the two bullets that didn't pass through him. Luckily, one of which was lodged in his chest. He'll be stuck in this place for about a week, depending on how fast the serum helps him heal. He's still unconscious now, but can wake up at any moment. I can take you to see him now." Natasha let out a huge sigh of relief, nodding her head before eagerly following the nurse to her husband.

* * *

The nurse left Natasha as the redhead apprehensively walked through the glass door to her husband. He lay, motionless, on his back on the bed. Natasha walked up to him and gently placed a hand on the side of his face. He had stiches above his left eyebrow and on his lower lip. Deep purple-yellow bruises were beginning to form near his right eye and along his jaw.

"Hey soldier," she quietly said, taking the seat next to his hospital bed. "You scared me there Steve. Please, don't ever do this again. We need you," Natasha felt the tears roll down her cheeks as she placed a hand over her abdomen. She took his large hand in hers, and laid her head next to his thigh. "Steve I made a mistake—well more than one. I fell in love with you. Head-over-heels in love. I married you, and I allow myself to be happy everyday because I'm with you. And now I'm pregnant with your child. But I don't regret any of this, not one bit. Happiness weakens you, but I don't care as long as it's you that I'm weakened by. You and our daughter," Natasha concluded profoundly.

"Son," Steve's big voice came out weakly even though his eyes were still closed.

"Steve?" Natasha questioned optimistically, allowing a small smile to creep across her pale face.

"Our son Nat. You said our daughter. It's a boy." Steve's eyelids slowly opened, revealing his baby blue eyes that seemed to shine in contrast to the white drab of the hospital room. Natasha didn't even attempt to correct him. Instead, she rose and hugged him. "Ouch…" he let slip.

"Oh sorry!" She stared into his eyes—into her own soul. She planted a tender kiss on his forehead as he patted the empty space on the bed, next to him. "How are you feeling?" she questioned as she laid down on the empty space next to her husband.  
"I'm fine Nat. But it looks like you've been worrying. Everything's all right now. You can calm down now," he gently said, weakly placing his hand over hers as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Steve, you just got shot! You need to worry about yourself, not me," Natasha threw him a concerned glance.

"But I do worry about you. I'm fine, I feel better already," he lied in an attempt to divert attention from himself. "I've got to look after my girl—and my kid."

"Steve, please just take it easy. You've been through a lot," Natasha's eyes pleaded with him. "Promise me?"

"Okay, I promise Nat," he said while flashing one of his adorably crooked smiles, which in turn caused his lip to start bleeding. Ignoring this, his expression turned to one of concern. "Weren't you supposed to get an ultrasound today?"

"Yeah. Well that plan went out the window when I found out about you." Steve pressed the 'call nurse' button on the controller next to him. "What's wrong Steve? What can I do to help you?"

"What can I get you, Captain Rogers?" a nurse asked as she quickly entered the room.

"Nothing for me right now Bree. But can you get Doctor Read to come down here please? Natasha—my wife—was supposed to have her four-month checkup today. Do you think he could do it now in here?"

"I don't think that will be a problem Captain! I'll page him now, and he should be down in a few minutes," Bree said with a smile and went to work on the request.

"Steve! What did I say?" Natasha said in a surprised tone.

"I know, I'm sorry. Just please do this for me? And one more favor ma'am…" Natasha let out a sarcastic sigh and rolled her eyes.

"All right fine. And what's your next request?"

"I think we should find out the baby's gender." Natasha had been asking him for this, and she was more than happy to accept the offer with a wide, toothy grin. He was too much.

* * *

Natasha flinched as Doctor Read applied the cool blue gel to her abdomen. She was still lying next to her husband, flat on her back, as Dr. Read had agreed to perform the checkup in Steve's hospital room due to the circumstances. Steve and Natasha happily watched the monitor screen as the doctor began to look around for the baby.

"Hmm. Well, this is interesting," Dr. Read stated.

"Is everything all right?" Steve asked, obviously concerned. Natasha glanced nervously at her husband, waiting for the verdict.

"Don't worry you two. The babies are doing great."

"_Excuse me?!_" Natasha sharply questioned, openly confused.

"_Babies_?" Steve matched her surprise.

"Yes! Congratulations, you're having twins!" Natasha's jaw dropped in awe as Steve's face lit up, a mixture of shock and delight.

"Святое дерьмо," Natasha swore in Russian. "Are you sure?" she questioned.

"Oh yes. I'm assuming that we couldn't tell sooner because one was hiding behind the other. But I found two heartbeats!" Referring back to the monitor, Dr. Read continued. "You see the two larger circles here?" she pointed with her finger. "Well, these are the two heads. They are fraternal twins, not identical."

Both Natasha and Steve stared at the screen in amazement. They both felt an overwhelmed.

"Would you like to know the genders?" Dr. Read continued after a minute, giving the two a minute to process the news.

"Yes we would like to know. Please," Steve replied. _Always a gentleman_, Natasha laughed to herself as Steve lightly squeezed her hand.

Moving the device around Natasha's stomach, Dr. Read motioned to the monitor—which Captain America and Black Widow were glued to. "Well this is baby A…and it's a boy!" Natasha watched Steve's face light up with an 'I told you so' expression. Once again, the doctor motioned to the screen. "And this one, we'll call her baby B."

"Her?" Steve excitedly said with a smile from ear to ear.

"Yes, a boy and a girl! Congratulations once again, and I'll leave you two alone now." Dr. Read departed and took the medical equipment with him.

"Oh my God Steve!" Natasha couldn't hide her excitement any longer. She pulled her shirt down and turned on her side to face her husband. "Twins!" she exclaimed, leaning into her husband. "I guess we were both right then. A boy and a girl."

"Yeah, I guess so," Steve replied, feeling like the smile he now wore would never leave his face. "A boy and a girl Nat. The perfect little soldier and spy," he motioned for Natasha to kiss him, and that is just what the Black Widow did.


	6. Always and Forever

**A/N: **Hi everyone! Sorry, I haven't posted in a few days! I will continue to update and add new chapters when I can. Please feel free to leave me feedback that I can use or any ideas for the story! Also, the names used in this chapter don't actually reflect my views, I am just trying to show the characters' personality. I hope everyone enjoys the update and thank you for the continued support!

-Fhockey42

* * *

"I wonder what they'll look like..." Natasha Romanoff wondered aloud. She was currently sitting in a dreary hospital room. The only thing that made it bearable was the fact that she was with her favorite person in the entire world.

"I'm sure they'll be perfect because you're their mother," Steve replied to his wife's rhetorical question. He was still lying in his dreaded hospital bed, feeling like a caged animal. His wife was sitting cross-legged in his lap. Seeing her face and being able to have her near him was something he never took for granted.

"Oh stop with that mushy talk. I just want out kids to be good people. And good people need strong names," the redhead stated, turning back to the book in her lap. This was Steve's fourth day in the hospital, and the two had started looking through baby names now that they knew the genders of their kids. So far, no progress had been made. The duo could not seem to agree upon any name.

"Do you think their names should rhyme?" the soldier questioned.

"No. Absolutely not. Our kids are not pets that need cutsy and annoying names," Natasha forcefully shot down Steve's idea.

"Well okay then. How about Emma for her?" Steve optimistically questioned, gesturing to Natasha's stomach. She wasn't big yet, but it was obvious that she was expecting.

"Way too common."

"Okay then, what about Ruth?"

"Come on Steve, I know you're old, but not _that _old right?" Natasha retorted with a snicker. Steve let out a sigh of defeat. "Why don't we continue this later? Besides, it looks like you have visitors," Natasha said, gesturing towards the glass hospital room door. Through it stood Tony, Pepper, Bruce, and Clint. Natasha waved them in with her hand.

"Hey there Capsicle, how ya feelin'?"

"I'm doing fine, thanks Stark," Steve replied gracefully.

"Oh knock it off Tony," Pepper gave him a hard stare and a tap on the arm. "Seriously Steve, how are you doing?" Pepper questioned, giving her friend a sympathetic look.

"I'm seriously fine Pepper, don't worry about me. I just want to get out of this awful place and back into my own house." Turning to his wife, "Nat can you grab me a glass of water please?" Natasha nodded her head and stood up from the bed.

"Whoa there red. Look at that!" Tony proclaimed in a surprised tone. "You're finally showing!"

"You better watch it Stark," Natasha snapped in an annoyed tone. "I'm pregnant, but that doesn't mean that I can't still kick your iron ass."

"All right all right my bad."

"Tony _is _right though Natasha. Have you felt any movement yet?" Bruce chimed in, intrigued.

"No, not yet. But I'll let you know."

"Did you at least find out what it is Tash?" Clint said, entering the conversation.

"Yes, we did," Natasha looked at her husband with a smile, which was then returned.

"_And_?" Pepper anxiously said. After all, she had been dying to know the gender of the baby since the day Natasha told them she was pregnant.

"It's a girl," Steve proudly announced to the room in his deep voice.

"I knew it! Natasha you were right," Pepper enthusiastically said, practically jumping in place where she stood.

"Yes I was. But Steve was also right," the Black Widow said with a slight smile. Four confused faces stared at the two Avengers.

"Do you mean?" Brue said calmly. He was the only one that seemed to understand.

"Yes I do mean. Steve and I are having a girl...and a boy," Natasha stated and pressed her hand to her midsection.

"What?!" the visitors said in unison.

"Oh my God Natasha that's amazing! I'm so happy for you two!" Pepper said as she congratulated the couple.

"Thanks guys. We're really excited. Nervous, but happy. And the twins are fraternal, not identical if you were wondering," Steve clarified.

"Congrats soldier. I guess that serum in you really does enhance _everything_." Tony stated sarcastically.

"_What _did I say Tony?" Natasha started towards her friend.

"Okay okay I'm done I promise. Sorry Natasha. In all seriousness, I'm really happy for you two lovebirds. Now I get the chance to spoil two kids instead of one," Tony concluded.

"I don't think so Tony, but nice try," Steve replied for his wife. As soon as he had finished his sentence, the door to the hospital room opened and a young nurse appeared.

"Sorry everyone, but visiting time is up," Bree announced to the room of Avengers. "All of you have to leave, except Mrs. Rogers.

* * *

After much complaining, Steve and Natasha finally found themselves alone in the hospital room. Steve was the first to speak.

"So that went well I guess."  
"Yeah. They all seem pretty happy for us." Natasha situated herself next to Steve on the hospital bed. They laid side by side, and Steve wrapped his arms around her. When they were like this, Natasha felt protected. She never allowed herself to be vulnerable, but she felt secure with Steve. He would not let anything happen to her and their children. "Are you ready Steve? I mean, ready to be a parent? I mean, I have no clue what I'm doing. I just hope that I'll be a decent mother. You're already a great father."

"Natasha, you know that this is what I've always wanted. A wife. Kids. A house in the suburbs. But I wouldn't want these things without you. You're mine always and forever. You're going to be a great mother. I don't care about your past. It doesn't have to control your future. Our future together with our kids." Natasha blinked back tears at her husband's heartfelt words. Only he could make her feel human. Like a normal person—not a Russian assassin. She knew she was hormonal, but the water in her eyes had nothing to do with that.

"I love you Steve," she said, turning over on her side to face him. "It's just that—." Natasha abruptly cut herself off and sat up straight. Her slender hand immediately flew to her abdomen.

"Nat? What's wrong?" Steve quickly sat up through the pain, and nervously placed a hand on his wife's arm.

"Hhh. Steve," she took her husband's hand and moved it to her belly. Suddenly, Steve felt a little flutter that made his eyes go wide.

"It that...?" Steve trailed off, unsure what to say next.

"Yeah. That's our baby Steve. One of them."

"Does it hurt?" Steve questioned innocently. Natasha out a slight laugh. _He's so clueless_, she thought to herself. Natasha gently ran her hand along his square jawline, being careful not to put pressure on his bruises.

"No. It's amazing Steve. They're ours. Always and forever." With that, she leaned into him and pressed her lips to his.


	7. Fallen Angels Don't Always Get Their Way

**A/N:** First, I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story! I really appreciate all the positive comments and feedback. These comments are what encourage me to write and continue this story! Secondly, I want to give a shout out to my friend (who shall remain nameless) who has helped me to come up with ideas for this story, and point it in a distinctive direction.

For this chapter, I apologize if anyone is OOC. I wanted to try and show a different side to Steve and Natasha's relationship. Thank you again for reading, and I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!  
-Fhockey42

* * *

"Better?" The redhead female questioned. They had just finished unpacking the car. Steve was sitting on the couch of their Washington D.C. home.

"Not yet," Steve replied, which caused his wife to tilt her head in confusion. He took her slender hands in his and pulled her into his lap, both forcefully and gently. Natasha let out a giggle, and allowed herself to relax. The past two weeks had been so stressful, and it felt good just to unwind for a minute. Steve pulled his wife in tight to his chest, and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. "There. Now isn't that better?" Once again, Natasha let out a small laugh. She had become tense after learning that Steve was hurt, but now she felt the weight come off her shoulders.

"Much better," she said through a smile, clasping her hands around the back of his neck. She stared into his crystal clear eyes, and once again, felt her heart throb in her chest. He leaned in again to kiss her, on the lips this time. She absorbed the kiss in its entirety; letting her fingers intertwine with his golden hair, and gently biting his lower lip. "Never...leave...me..." she gasped in between their kisses. After this, they stopped. Steve cupped her heart-shaped face in his large hands and leaned his forehead against hers—both of them panting.

"You know I can't promise that," he replied. She looked up at him through sad green eyes—both of them knowing the brutal reality of the latter statement. "But," he continued, "I can promise that I will do anything to protect you. I will do my best to protect myself; only because I know how much pain I can cause you. Besides, I want to see our kids."

Natasha let out a long sigh. "Thanks Steve. And seriously speaking, who do you think they'll look like?"

"I have no clue. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out now." He laid her flat against him, and placed both his hands on her swollen stomach.

* * *

It had been nearly two months since Steve and Natasha were able to return from the hospital. Everything had been going great for the duo, and they were both anxious and excited for their upcoming arrivals.

"Keep them closed Nat. No peeking," Steve ushered his blindfolded wife into one of the spare bedrooms of their house.

"Steve, you know I don't like surprises. Just tell me what this is already!" Steve guided his wife to the middle of the room before stopping.

"Alright, you can take it off now," he said, smiling. Natasha's eyes took a moment to adjust to the brightness of the room before she could fully take in her surroundings.

"Steve! Did you do all of this?"

"Yeah. What do you think?" the soldier replied nervously. Natasha took a look around the two rooms. They were separate, but only by a large set of glass doors that could be opened and closed. One room was painted blue with a white chair rail and paneling underneath. The other was identical, except it had pink paint on the walls. Both rooms had white plush carpet, and lots of windows with curtains in the respective color. Both rooms were furnished in white—a white crib, changing table, dresser, and rocking chair in each. The furniture was artfully crafted out of smooth wood. The walls were tastefully decorated, with simple and elegant embellishments. "I know it's not much yet, but we can add to it. I bought some empty picture frames to hang up once we have pictures with our kids. Also, I was going to make wooden signs with their names on them once we decide what we're going to call them." Natasha looked around in awe and amazement.

"I absolutely love it Steve. Thank you, it's perfect for our children," Natasha said, as she walked over to her husband and put her arms around him.

"I'm glad," he said as she leaned in to kiss him. "I want our kids to have the childhood that we never did. We're going to give them that Natasha." Steve then moved his attention to her abdomen. He had recently taken up talking to her six-month pregnant stomach. "Do you hear that guys? We're ready for you. Just a few more months and you'll be here with us."

"Yeah Steve. Our lives are going to change forever you know."

* * *

"No! Steve you can't go, not after last time!" Natasha half shouted at Steve without meaning to. The two were in their bedroom, in the midst of a heated argument. Steve had been called away on a high-risk mission for a week. Well, he was more than happy to volunteer for the mission anyway. This would be the first one since his injury, and Natasha was expressing her dissatisfaction over his departure. "You can't just pick up and leave! Is this how it's going to be when our kids are born?" Natasha didn't mean for her words to sound so harsh, but she couldn't help it. _God damn hormones_, she cursed herself.

"Do you think I _want_ to leave you? And what are you trying to say? I'm not going to be a father that picks up and runs away from his family! Is that what you think of me?"

"Isn't that what you're doing right now! You say you want to protect me, but then you willingly volunteer and risk you're life for strangers! Steve, if you die it will kill me! Don't I mean more than that to you?" Natasha's face had turned bright red in frustration, and almost matched her hair color.

"You know that you do! And they're not strangers, they're innocent people that need my help. I know that you're just jealous Nat. Jealous that I can go out and fight, but you can't. I can't believe you're insulting me like this. How bad did they screw you up in the Red Room?" Steve retorted, fiercely moving his hands around to demonstrate his anger. He instantly regretted his words. _Shit. What the hell did I just do?_

"I can't believe you just said that," Natasha whispered, sliding down to sit on the bed. Steve's eyes immediately found hers and he began to plead.

"I take it back Natasha. I'm sorry I shouldn't have—"

"Get out."  
"What?"  
"Do you need a hearing aid Steve? I _said_ to get out of my sight," she shouted. Steve obeyed. He knows Natasha better than anyone else—knows her enough to see that her walls are up. She is cold and defensive—the Black Widow. And he made her come out.

She immediately slammed the door behind him with a loud thud. Steve knew that this was bad. Every time something bad happens, or the nightmares came she shuts herself down. Becomes reclusive, and hides inside herself. Steve is one of the only people who has seen Natasha's true feelings, but that is only because she lets him in. "Oh God," Steve let out through a sigh. He went to the linen closet in the hall and pulled out sheets for the couch. It was going to be a long night.

He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help himself. It was 11:00 at night, but he knew that she would still be up. He softly knocked on the door to their bedroom, hoping that the hours she had spent alone in there would have calmed her down. "Natasha. Please, will you open the door?" Steve quietly begged of his wife. There was no answer for several minutes, and he knew there wasn't one coming.

* * *

Steve returned to the couch and had been lying there for several hours, unable to fall asleep. His attention was loosely on the television on the wall, which had been replaying _Friends_ episodes for the past three hours.

"Steve?" a soft voice questioned.

Startled, Steve quickly turned around to meet his wife's gaze. He hated how she could always sneak up on him. "Natasha. I'm so—"

"Steve don't apologize," she said as she sat down next to him on the couch. "I'm the one who flipped out on you. I know that you have to go on missions; you are Captain America after all. God Steve," she said leaning her head into him. "I wish you didn't have to go. I know you don't mean what you said. And the world we live in is far from perfect. If it were, maybe neither of us would have to go away on missions. I just know this is God or whoever is up there's way of punishing me for my past. I'm cold Steve, and fallen angels don't always get their way. I'm just glad you're the one that kept me from hitting the ground."  
"I forgive you. Now I hope that you can return the favor. The things I said back there...well I shouldn't have said them. I regret saying them. You're not cold, and you have a soul. I'm sorry for mocking your past, and I promise I won't ever bring it up again. You're human, Nat. You're allowed to have emotions and feelings just like anyone else. You're human, and you're my wife. And you're going to be a mother."

"So we're good then," she innocently questioned.

"We're always good Nat. I love you," the soldier replied.

"I love you too. Always and forever." She laid down on him, and they stayed that way for what felt like hours—just with each other. After several moments, Natasha broke the silent peace.

"So I've been thinking about names. And I've picked one out if you like it," She paused. "What do you think of James for the boy?" Steve took his face in her hands and looked into her shining green eyes. "I feel like our baby's name should have substantial meaning. And I know how much he means to you...Bucky I mean."

"James Rogers," he repeated, stroking her red hair. "I love it Natasha, thank you," he said, lightly placing his lips to hers. He moved his hand to her stomach and gently rubbed in circles. "Hey James," he said.

"And for the middle mane," Natasha cut him short, I was thinking of you. James Steven Rogers." She put her slender hand over his and gazed into his eyes. "Do you like it?"

"I love it Natasha. It's perfect because it came from your perfect mind."

"Oh cut out the mushy crap Rogers," she said playfully teasing. "This doesn't mean that I'm not going to worry about you when you leave tomorrow."

"I know, but I thought that I'd try," he said as a crooked smile worked its way across his face.

"Nice try. And we're still only half way there," she replied.

"Yep. One down, one to go," he said quietly. And with that, the soldier leaned in to kiss the spy.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I will continue to update this story when I find the time or come up with more ideas! If anyone wants me to write about something specific, or has any ideas, please feel free to let me know! Thank you all for reading!


	8. Just Wait and See

**A/N:** Hi everyone! I know, long time no update! I've been super busy, but was able to write another chapter today. I want to continue to thank everyone for the positive reviews, feedback, follows, and favorites! Also, I want to acknowledge my friend, Emily (who is now not nameless) for helping me with this story and also with the baby names. This chapter is two different events in one, and I hope that everyone enjoys this!

* * *

"Steve," Natasha quietly whispered. The duo was lying in bed, with Steve fast asleep. Natasha hated to wake him. His fair eyelashes brushed against his high cheekbones and cast ominous shadows down his pale face. He reminded her of a sleeping child—delicate, peaceful, and innocent. She really didn't want to wake him; it was one of the few nights that the nightmares couldn't grab him. "Steve, wake up," she tried again, gently shaking his shoulder.

He bolted upright—eyes wide open and a worried expression on his face. He looked at his wife, eyes huge and blue and searching. "Nat? What's wrong? Are you in pain? Should I grab the hospital bag?" A string of questions flew from his mouth before Natasha could get a word in. He had been on edge like this since she had hit the seven-month mark. Always worries and always prepared. She was now eight months pregnant—only four weeks to go.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I'm fine," she said defensively, reassuring her husband. He let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped slightly. The brightness of the moon shone through the windows, illuminating his sharp, angular features and electrifying his baby blue eyes. "It's just that...I'm kind of starving," she continued.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, and now you want me to go make you food?" Steve questioned. He quickly glanced at the clock on his nightstand. It read 2:48 am.

"Can you make me some pancakes _please_?" She asked innocently.

Steve let out an audible groan. "Well, I guess I can make you pancakes now that I'm already up now," he said with an eye roll. "Is there anything else I can get you, malady?" He smiled through his sarcastic request.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind some pickles to go with those pancakes."

"Oh all of the things that I'm willing to do for you," Steve said after letting out a small laugh.

"Hey, these _are_ your kids I'm carrying Rogers. And technically, you did this to me," she retorted playfully.

"Don't try to play that card again Nat. And these pickles are going to cost you a kiss," he whispered.

"Well let's hurry it up then. Your children are hungry Steve," she got in before Steve leaned in to press his lips against hers.

* * *

The smell of homemade pancakes drifted throughout the entire house. Steve was just finishing plating the pancakes when Natasha walked into the kitchen. Well, more like waddled into the kitchen. Steve couldn't help but stare at her. She was so beautiful—her curly red hair tied up in a knot, and the oversized t-shirt she wore made him smile. It amazed him how a person as small as Natasha could manage to carry twins.

"What are you looking at Steve?" she asked innocently. "Do I look fat? Oh god I do, don't I? I've definitely gotten bigger in the past few days," she sighed.

Steve set the plate of steaming pancakes down on the counter and moved to embrace his wife. He put his arms around her and pulled her in tight for a hug. "No. Of course you don't look fat," he added with a small laugh. Steve had been extra cautious around his wife ever since he learned that she was pregnant. He knew that her hormones were off-balance, and didn't want to test her. The last time he refused to make her food, she pulled a knife on him. He released his hold on her, and looked into her blue-green eyes. "Are you ready to eat?" he asked softly.

"Yes please," she said quietly through a small smile. Steve led her over to the table, pulled out a chair her, and helped her to sit down. He then placed the plate of pancakes in front of her, complete with a fork and knife.

"I almost forgot these," Steve said as he placed a jar of pickles in front of her.

"Thanks soldier," she murmured, her mouth full of pancakes. Neither one of them spoke again until the pancakes were gone, and Natasha was working on a pickle from the jar.

Steve was the first to break the silence. "So, I was thinking more about baby names..." he trailed off.

Natasha put down the pickle, worry in her eyes. "You changed your mind? What's wrong with the name we picked? I love the name James!" and she was suddenly shouting.

_It's just the hormones talking_, Steve thought to himself. "No, no, no I didn't mean James' name," he said, putting his hands up defensively. "I meant I though of a name for our daughter."

"Oh, sorry. So what's your idea?" the redhead questioned earnestly.

"Well I know that we agreed on non-matching names. And there's this name that I keep coming back to. It's Lucy. Lucy Natalia." Natasha sat there, quietly pondering the validity of the name her husband had set forth.

After what seemed like forever, she finally spoke. "Margaret."  
"What?" Steve questioned, obviously confused.

"I said Margaret. Lucy Margaret Natalia Rogers," she said thoughtfully, then looked up to meet her husband's eyes. "I know how important she was—is—to you. Peggy, I mean." Steve stood up and walked over to his wife. He bent down and she wrapped her long, slender arms around his neck affectionately. Steve gently placed his strong hands under Natasha's armpits and lifted her up.

"I love you so much," he whispered, his face just centimeters away from hers.

"James Steven and Lucy Margaret Natalia Rogers," she said, and then leaned in to passionately kiss her husband.

* * *

"Come on guys! Why can't you just tell us already?" Pepper moaned. It was Maria Hill's birthday and the Avengers family has gathered for a celebration at the Stark Tower in New York City. Maria, Pepper, Tony, Bruce, Sam, Nick Fury, and Clint were sitting around a large rectangular table in Tony's apartment.

"Yeah, seriously guys it's my birthday. Aren't I supposed to get what I want?" Maria chimed in.

"Sorry, no can do. We told you that we want to keep the twins' names a secret until they're born," Natasha replied with a slight snicker.

"But Tony and I wanted to buy them personalized gifts! Can't you at least give us a hint?" Pepper pressed.

"Okay, here's one hint," Steve added. " They will both have the last name Rogers.

"Ha ha ha..." Clint trailed off sarcastically. "That's real funny Cap. But seriously, give us a _reasonable_ hint please. Maria asked, and it _is _her birthday..."

"Alright, alright. But only because you all asked so nicely," Steve said sarcastically. Natasha was sitting next to him, and he took her hand protectively before looking in her eyes for approval. _Okay?_ His eyes asked. She nodded and used her free hand to cover his. They looked lovingly at each other for a brief moment before refocusing on the matter at hand. It was clear that the only thing that Captain America loved more than his country was his wife.

"Okay," Natasha started. One of their names starts with L, and the other one starts with J. And that's all you're going to get. You'll just have to wait one more month."

"I've figured it out!" Tony said enthusiastically, rising up from his chair. "It's LaToya and Jarvis. Am I right, or am I right? Although, I am a bit disappointed that neither name begins with a T. T for Tony."

"Um, that would be a no Tony," Natasha said with an annoyed face.

"I think we should all place our bets now. That way when the twins are born we can see who wins," Bruce tried.

"That's not a bad idea Banner," Fury approved. "My vote is for Jason and Lily, I'm calling it."

"Okay," Steve said, writing down Nick's guess on his phone. "Who's next?"

"I'm going for Jenna and Liam," Sam chipped in.

""No, it's definitely Jane and Luke," Maria added.

"You can all say what you want, but I'm definitely right. Red over here is having little Lauren and Jack. Jack Anthony, that it," Tony commented.

"Oh please Tony, get over yourself. Natasha and Steve are having Lucy and Jackson," Pepper inputted.

"Well, I don't know if I'm right here, but I might as well take a guess. This was my idea, after all. I think I'm just going to go with Jonathan and Layne," Bruce stated his opinion.

"Well your guess is as good as anyone else's Bruce," Natasha said almost sympathetically.

"Don't I get a guess?" Clint questioned.

"You can guess, but it doesn't matter birdbrain because you're wrong," Tony answered with a smirk.

"You know Tony, just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean that I can't punch you in the face. You _know _how pissed off I can get. Especially since I'm hormonal," the Black Widow threatened.

"I'm done now," Tony quickly stated.

"That's what I thought you meant. Anyway, what is your guess Clint?" Natasha asked her best friend.

"I'm going to say James and Lacey," Hawkeye guessed.

"Okay that's everybody," Steve said with a crooked smile on his face.

"So, who's the winner?" Pepper questioned eagerly.

"Sorry, we gave you all your one hint. Now you'll just have to wait and see," Steve said as he stared into his wife's eyes and planted a kiss on the back of her hand.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope that everyone liked this update! Once again, if there is anything you would like me to write about or incorporate into this story, I am open to suggestions! Thank you for reading!

-Fhockey42


	9. Sleep Just Won't Take Me

**A/N: ** Hi everyone! Sorry about the whole no update thing. Tomorrow is my last day of school, so hopefully I will be able to update more frequently! Nothing much happens in this chapter-it basically sets up the next few chapters. Also, the characters are probably OOC, so please forgive me! Thank you to everyone who continues to read and review my writing, I sincerely appreciate it! Once again, I am open to all suggestions and feedback. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter!

-Fhockey42

* * *

Clint Barton stared up into the blackness of space. He was wide-awake, even though it was 1 in the morning. All of the Avengers were staying at Stark Tower for the night—no one wanted to drive home after Maria's birthday party. Clint let out a sigh and stood up from the bed. The cool wood floor felt alien to his bare feet as he made his way to the floor's kitchen. He silently approached the room, and, to his surprise, found a redhead sitting at the counter with her back to him. He quietly continued making his way toward her.

"Nice try Clint. I know it's you," Natasha stated without turning her head.

"Aw man Tash, How do you do that?" the archer questioned, taking the seat next to his partner. She turned towards him, and the first thing he noticed was how tired she looked. Deep purple bags were clearly visible under her eyes, and her face looked drawn and pale.

"I have my ways," she responded, tilting her head to the side. "Why are you up anyway?"

"Oh, you know how it is. I just can't get sleep to take me tonight. Are you alight Natasha? Why are you up this early?" Clint's nonchalant demeanor disappeared into his concern. Natasha looked down into the cup of steaming tea she was holding in her hands as she smiled.

"Just the usual. These two decided to have a wrestling match in the middle of the night," she looked down to her abdomen, then placed a hand on it and started tracing circles with her fingers in a small area.

"Does it hurt?" he questioned.

"Does what hurt?"

"You know..." he continued. "Having human beings inside you. Like, does it hurt when they move?"

"No, not really. I mean it's kind of uncomfortable at this point, but it doesn't really hurt unless one of them kicks me really hard. Especially in my bladder or ribs, she answered.

"Oh, well I'm glad," he said. Natasha could sense that he was feeling awkward. She turned toward him and moved her chair closer to his.

"Give me your hands," she stated as he did so. She took his hands in her slender ones, and gently pressed them to her swollen stomach. "Stop being so concerned Clint. I can handle the miracle of life inside me." He laughed at her comment just before he felt a quick movement under his left hand.

"Was that a baby?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes it was. See? It doesn't hurt me any more than it just hurt your hand." He seemed reassured, and even interested now.

* * *

The two stayed up a little while longer before Natasha was yawning and the twins stopped moving around.

"Well, I'm ready to go get some sleep now," Natasha said through a yawn.

"Okay, me too I guess." She started to get up from her chair and he quickly moved to help her up.

"I've got it Clint. Just go to bed I don't need any help," she said as she started walking towards her room. "Goodnight, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Tash," he concluded and walked off to try and sleep.

* * *

Natasha bolted upright with a gasp as she felt an odd pinching sensation that woke her from a light sleep. Her hand immediately flew to her stomach, and before she knew it, Steve was by her side.

"Nat, are you okay?" he questioned sincerely, and she could hear the deep concern embedded in his voice.

She paused for a moment as the momentary discomfort subsided, and looked up at him. "Yeah, I'm okay for now. But I think that my water just broke." She watched as Steve's eyes nearly bulged out of his head in astonishment.

"What!? Are you positive? I mean, you're not due for another month!" Steve quickly questioned. Natasha proceeded to pull back the sheet of their bed. True to what she had said, there was a small wet spot underneath her butt. "Oh my god. We have to get to the hospital. Right now. I'll get the bags and start the car, and then I'll come back and carry you to—"

"Steve calm down!" she cut him off abruptly. "I'm okay for now. I'm not in any pain, let's just take our time," she stated and watched him take a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

"Okay, I guess you're right. As long as you're not in pain, but we should leave as soon as possible though," the Captain said, taking his wife's hands in his.

"Thank you. Now, I'm going to change my clothes and wash my face. You should get changed and grab our bags. And then we can go," she directed firmly.

"Alright, that's a good plan. And we should tell the others before we go. But if anything starts to hurt, we're leaving right away."

"Yes sir," Natasha said before Steve walked over to help her up. Normally, she would refuse help from anyone. But maybe she needed some encouragement now. She headed toward the bathroom to clean up as Steve went to change his clothes.

* * *

"Jarvis? Can you get everyone to come to the living room please? Let them know that it's important," Steve requested.

"Yes, of course Mr. Rogers. I am informing them now," the automated voice replied. Steve was pacing back and forth in across the living room—Natasha sat on the couch watching him. She knew that the others, especially Tony, wouldn't be happy about being woken up at 3 a.m. However, this was pretty important. The noise of footsteps quickly coming down the hallway tore Natasha from her thoughts.

"This better be good you two," Tony said as he was the first to appear from the hallway. The rest of them filed into the room one by one until they were all there.

"Is everything okay guys?" Typically, it was Pepper who was concerned.

"Yeah well sort of," Steve started uneasily. "Natasha's water broke."

"What!" The chant rang out simultaneously as each one of them reacted in surprise.

"Well then what are we standing here for?" Tony began, now concerned. "I'll get my suit and we can fly you to the hospital, it'll only take a minute—"

"Thanks Tony but it's alright. Steve and I just wanted to let all of you know where we are going. So you don't have to worry that we're not here with you," Natasha stated calmly.

"Well we're coming with you!" Maria chimed in. "Don't think that we are just going to mope around and sit there while you're in the hospital!"

After a few minutes of debate, Natasha and Steve relented. All of them were going to the hospital; but Steve was only driving his wife.

* * *

The streetlights illuminated the stretch of empty road that Captain America was now driving on. Natasha was sitting in the front seat next to Steve—who was driving nervously.

"Steve, slow down," she ordered. The speed limit of the road was 30; but Steve was doing 50. Natasha almost laughed at the notion. Captain America, breaking the law? This had never happened before.

"Sorry ma'am, but that's not going to happen. I told you I was going to take care of you, didn't I? And I'm doing that now. Everything I do, I do it for you," he replied.

"Okay Steve," she complied. She didn't feel like arguing with him right now—and she was starting to feel a little pain anyway. Maybe she really did need to be helped. A million thoughts raced through her head the rest of the drive to the hospital. The fear hit her all at once after Steve pulled into a parking spot.

_This is it_, she thought.

_Everything's going to change._


	10. The Perfect Storm

**A/N: **Hi all! I know, long time no update. This is a long chapter (I started writing and I couldn't stop), so I hop it makes up for my lateness! I don't want to drag on any longer, so I hope that everyone enjoys this update!

* * *

"Um...hi," Steve started nervously to the lady at the front desk in the emergency room. "My wife is pregnant and her water broke about 45 minutes ago," he continued.

"Okay. I'm sorry for the inconvenience Captain Rogers, but I have to ask you some questions while we take your wife to her room," the lady replied. Of course everyone knew of Captain America.

"No, I have to stay with my wife—"

"Steve I'll be fine. I'm sure it will only take a few minutes," Natasha cut him off short.

"All right, but I'm coming as soon as I can," Steve instructed.

"Thank you for your cooperation Mr. Rogers," the lady said as a nurse came up to them with a wheelchair for Natasha (even though she thought it was completely unnecessary). "Nurse Ann will now take you to your room Ms. Romanoff. Suite number 8," the lady concluded.

"A suite?" Steve questioned. "We didn't reserve a suite or anything. Just any private room will be sufficient," Steve stated.

"Mr. Stark called ahead and made arrangements. Ms. Romanoff is to be treated with the best care available."

"Well, that's one nice thing that Tony has done for me the past two days," Natasha commented sarcastically as she lowered herself into the wheelchair.

"Okay Ann, you can take Ms. Romanoff to her room now," the front desk lady concluded. The nurse the proceeded to wheel Natasha away to her room while Steve looked on nervously.

* * *

Natasha heard a soft knock on the door a moment before Steve's head appeared through it. "Hey you," she said lightly, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

"Hey," he replied, mirroring her tone. He silently walked into the room and closed the door behind him. The suite was huge, and extremely private—Steve wondered if Tony had rented out the entire floor for Natasha. "I'm sorry I had to stay back there and answer a bunch of stupid questions." He took a seat next to his wife in a chair by her bed.

Natasha had an IV needle in her wrist and wore a hospital band with the proper information on it. "It's ok. I'm fine Steve, I told you not to worry."

"For now you're fine," he replied, taking her hand. "But the problem is, that I do worry. And I will always worry about you and our kids more than anything else in this world because I love you more than anything else. And don't forget it."

"I know Steve, and I understand. But _you_ know how I am—who they made me. I've killed people and done sordid things that I can't forgive myself for," she said, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"Nat, you can't dwell on the past; especially not now. This isn't Russia. I'm not the Red Room. This is _our _life. We can control how we act and what path we take from now on. And let me tell you, you're not the Russian spy anymore. You work for good. You're my girl, my wife. And today, you're going to be a mother. So I don't want to hear any more about the past because I'm only looking to the future—my future with you. And the only thing I need to know, Natasha, is are you with me?" Steve profoundly said, putting power behind each and every word.

"I'm with you Steve. Always," she said curtly, ending the conversation about the past.

"Good. Thank you," Steve half smiled and began to stroke her red locks, twisting a piece before letting it slip between his fingers. The sound of silence filled the room as Natasha and Steve sat with each other—the calm before the storm.

"Steve?"

"What is it Nat?" he said sincerely, their eyes locking together.

"I'm scared," she barely whispered, her eyebrows knitting together.

"Me too," he said, lightly smiling. "But hey," he took her chin in his hand and tilted her face towards his. "We're in this together. You're not alone. I can't promise you much, my darling, but I _can_ promise that I will never leave you alone." Natasha gave him a wary but reassuring smile before the two were interrupted by a loud knock on the door. "Well," Steve said as he rose and started towards the door. "It looks like we have company" At the same time, Clint, Pepper, Tony, Bruce, and Maria spilled into the room.

"Hey Tasha, how's the room?" Tony asked proudly.

"It's great Tony. You didn't have to do all of this though," Natasha sweetly replied.

"Oh yes we did," Pepper chimed in, a smile on her face. "How are you feeling? Anything yet?" Pepper questioned eagerly. Once again, Natasha couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. It was almost as if Pepper was the one about to become a mother.

"Well thank you both for the room. And I'm okay for now. Just a little pain but it's nothing that I can't handle," she said.

"Don't forget," Clint began talking to his partner. "If any of these doctors or nurses give you a hard time, just call me and I'll come deal with them. Even if I have to knock them unconscious."

"Thanks Clint, but I don't think that will be necessary," the redhead replied with a small chuckle—he always knew how to make her laugh. Bruce walked over to Natasha and aimlessly started checking her IV and vitals.

"Everything looks great so far," the doctor stated. "Did they evaluate you to determine why you went into labor a month early?"

"Yes Bruce they did. They said that it's common for twins to come early in the first place. Also, they said that the babies are a healthy size and they wouldn't have any more room to grow because I'm small," Natasha repeated the information she had been told.

"Ok good. I didn't want to bring it up before I knew, but I'm glad that it has nothing to do with them inheriting the serum," Bruce said.

"We've also thought about that," Steve started. He took his wife's hand in his own. "We won't know if they inherited a version of the serum until they're older. S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to monitor the twins' growth to check for the serum, so we'll just have to be patient."

"I just want them to be healthy," Natasha stated nervously. Of course she and Steve had talked about the possibility of their kids getting the serum. It was a scary thought, and something she didn't want to think about at the moment.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be perfectly healthy," Maria added with a smile, trying to reassure her friend.

Bruce once again glanced at the machines hooked up to Natasha after she shifted a bit, obviously uncomfortable. "According to the tocometer, which is the machine that records contractions, that one was a 30 on the scale. It goes up to 100. How did that feel Natasha?"

"It wasn't bad. Just uncomfortable but not exactly painful," the redhead said, looking up at Steve's worried face.

"Good. I hate to be the bearer of bad news Natasha, but it's going to get a lot more painful soon," Bruce continues sympathetically.

"It's nothing I can't handle," Natasha said playfully with a smirk. She thought it was funny that _she _was the one trying to comfort and reassure Steve.

"Did your doctor check to see how dilated your cervix is?" Bruce continued being the doctor.

"Ew. That's gross," Tony cut in, which merited an irritated glance from Pepper.

"Yeah Bruce, he said 3 centimeters. So I still have a while to go," Natasha said sounding annoyed. She really didn't want all the attention focused on her; she hated being in the spotlight. "You guys, it's going to be a while so you don't need to wait around here in the hospital. Steve will call you if anything happens or changes."

"We're not going anywhere Nat, nice try," Clint answered on everyone's behalf.

"Well, hopefully it won't take all night," Natasha said timidly. The makeshift family was then interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

"Hi. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers?" the nurse questioned.

"Yes? That's us," Steve answered. "You're Bree, right?" he questioned, recognizing the nurse's face.

"Yes Captain Rogers, it's nice to see you and your wife again. I'll be your nurse, so if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask!" she said cheerfully.

"Thank you," Natasha said pleasantly.

"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, but I have to ask your guests to leave. They can return after the birth."

"Okay. Sorry guys," Natasha said regretfully, even though she was secretly relieved. She didn't want anyone but Steve to see her in pain or vulnerable. "And Bree? You can call us Steve and Natasha."

"Alright! Thank you all for your cooperation," Bree said enthusiastically. And with that, everyone left Natasha and Steve until the twins' arrival.

* * *

"Ow...ow...ow," Natasha let out as she squeezed Steve's hand and waited for the contraction to pass. It felt like she was crushing the bones in his hand, but he wouldn't dare tell her.

"Well that's 9 centimeters dilated," Dr. Read informed the couple. Natasha was breathing heavily, and enjoying the moments before the next contraction came. "You're almost there Natasha. And that contraction was an 85 so you'll be able to start pushing soon."  
"The sooner the better right?" Natasha questioned uneasily as Dr. Read left the room. She then focused all her attention on Steve. "This hurts a lot more than I thought it would," She confessed.

"I know Nat," he said, stroking her red hair back from her forehead with his free hand. "You're almost there, you're doing great."

"Oh God Steve please cut the crap, this really fucking hurts," she said and immediately regretted it. After a moment of silence, she started again. "I'm sorry Steve, I know you're trying to help," she said apologetically, her hand still tightly squeezing his.

"It's ok, I understand. Don't worry about me; focus on yourself and how you're doing. Squeeze my hand as hard as you like. I'm here for you," he reassured her. Almost on cue, she tightened her grip on his hand as another contraction came.

"Иисус Христос!" Natasha resorted to Russian as the pain consumed her. It felt as if the pain controlled her, and put all of its efforts into slowly destroying her from the inside. It took all of her strength not to cry out in agony, although some small squeals escaped through her mouth. Her eyes were firmly held shut as her face twisted with pain. Steve couldn't help but think that the scene was strangely beautiful. But that thought quickly disappeared when Natasha began to grip his hand even tighter—he thought he felt a bone snap somewhere in his palm.

"It's okay, I'm here babe. I'm not going anywhere," he tried to comfort her any way he could. Admittedly, he felt responsible for her pain and helpless that he couldn't do anything to stop it or take it away. "It will all be over soon," he tried again as Natasha opened her green eyes to meet his own light blue ones. Tears were on the verge of pouring over her eyelids, and soft whining sounds escaped her lips.

"Steve," she said through rasped breaths. "It's not going away, it's not stopping," she said, panicked. He could see the fear consuming her in addition to the pain. "Help me Steve, please just make it stop," she pleaded with him as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

He didn't hesitate. Natasha _never_ asked for help—not once in her life as far as Steve was concerned. Things definitely elevated to a new level. As his instincts kicked in, Steve peeled Natasha's hand out of his own and ran to the door of the room. He swiftly exited the vicinity, making Natasha cry out even more for the fear of being alone. Steve raced through the bleak hallway of the hospital, searching for someone, anyone that could help his wife. "Dr. Read?" he half shouted, looking everywhere as he ran. After about two minutes, he doubled back in the opposite direction until he came across the doctor. "Dr. Read," he said hastily, "you have to do something for Natasha. She's in so much pain and the contractions aren't stopping like before. Please," Steve quickly informed.

"I see," Dr. Read replied. "I'll be there as quickly as I can. I think it's time to speed things up." Steve began to run back to his wife before the doctor was even done speaking. He yelled a quick thank you over his shoulder before sprinting as fast as he could back to the room. He burst through the door to see his wife weakly smile at him.

He hurriedly took her hand once again and returned her gesture with a small smile of his own. "I'm so sorry I left you. I had to go find Dr. Read for you. He'll be here as soon as possible. Get ready to be a mom, Nat."

"Thanks Steve," she said weakly before locking his hand in a death grip once again. A moment later, Dr. Read and two nurses—Bree was one of them—came into the room.

"All right Natasha, let's have a look," the doctor said as he checked the Black Widow from the foot of the bed. Steve was worried enough, and he had no intention of seeing what was down there at the moment. "Yep. That's 10 centimeters. We can start having you push now, so listen carefully to my instructions, understand?" Natasha shook her head yes after exchanging a quick look with her husband. "Okay good. Now, you're going to be in a lot of pain when pushing, but you have to get through it. This is the last part Natasha, just a few more minutes." Natasha had half a mind to punch Dr. Read in the face after the delivery. He had no idea how much pain she was in—and he never would.

"Okay I understand," she complied, focusing all of her attention on her husband.

"Here comes another contraction," Dr. Read started. "On three I want you to push as hard as you can for 20 seconds. Ready," he didn't even give her time to reply. "One...two...three." On that note, Natasha felt the pain rip through her and explode. She pushed harder than she thought possible, desperately gripping Steve for support. She held her breath until she counted past twenty in her head, then let out a huge gasp after she released the air she was holding in. "That was perfect Natasha, much better than I expected. I need you to do it one more time, but for 30 seconds. Do that and you'll have one baby," he continued and briefly paused, giving Natasha a moment to catch her breath. "Here we go. Ready? One...two...three."

Natasha put all her remaining strength into forcing the child out of her. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to someone that this was the last push for this baby. _24...25...26...27...28... _she counted silently in her head. She drowned out Steve's words of encouragement, and did her best to keep going despite the agony. She cried out in pain, and then relief spread through her as the world came back into focus. She forced her eyes open just in time to see Dr. Read hold up a tiny pink creature—her first child. She heard it cry, and was instantly relieved.

"It's a boy!" the doctor exclaimed excitedly. Natasha looked up at her husband as he looked at their child in awe. "Time of birth, 4:42 p.m. on June 18th. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Rogers. Captain, would you like to cut his umbilical cord?" Steve nodded eagerly and released Natasha's hand. With the help of Dr. Read, Steve cut the cord from his son and looked down upon the small figure in amazement. "Thank you," the doctor said as Bree took the baby away to clean him up and perform the necessary procedures. Natasha looked on with a worried expression as they took her son away. That thought was quickly dismissed when another wave of pain hit her like a brick wall.

"Ouch," she whined. "It hurts again," she informed everyone.

"Okay Natasha, it's time for the second baby. You're going to have to do the same thing," Dr. Read informed her.

"You're halfway there Nat. Just a few more minutes and it will all be over, I promise," Steve reassured her as he took her hand once again.

Without any warning, Dr. Read began counting again. "On three you're going to push for 25 seconds. One...two...three..." Natasha once again put all her strength behind the push as Steve tried to comfort her by rubbing her back.

Natasha released once again, gasping for air. "One more time Nat. Just one more push. You can do it my darling girl," Steve's words broke through to her, and on cue, she pushed one last time. All her energy went into that push, and she let out a scream towards the end.

She instantly fell back against the pillow as the pain subsided. She heard a loud, wailing cry that could only belong to her daughter.

To state the obvious, Dr. Read continued to talk as he held up the infant. "It's a girl! Time of birth is 4:48 p.m. on June 18th." Steve planted a loving kiss on Natasha's head, and suddenly they were both laughing, huge smiles spread across their faces.

"You did it Natasha. They're here and we're parents," he tenderly said to her. He then proceeded to cut the umbilical cord from his daughter as a nurse then came to take her away. "Congratulations mommy," he said before falling into the seat next to her bed.

"You too, daddy," Natasha said through a smile. Her red hair was plastered to her forehead by sweat. Bree then reentered the room and handed Dr. Read a file folder.

"Well," the doctor started. "Your son is 6 pounds 10 ounces and 18 inches. And your daughter is 6 pounds 7 ounces and 16 inches. They're both perfectly healthy. We will bring them in to see you once we complete our procedures. Until then, Natasha should rest. We will wake you when the twins are ready."

"Thank you for everything," Steve said to the doctor as he exited the room. He then turned his attention to his wife, who looked utterly exhausted and depleted of all energy. He began to stroke her hair and whisper to her softly. "Shh, everything's good, did you hear that? Go to sleep Tash, I'll wake you when it's time to meet our children." Much to Steve's surprise, Natasha didn't put up an argument and complied. She instantly fell asleep, Steve watching her the entire time she slept.

* * *

"Natasha," Steve gently shook her as she slowly woke up. "I'm so sorry to wake you, but I thought that you would want to meet our kids," Steve said with a toothy grin as she adjusted her bed up into a sitting position. She took her attention away from Steve as Bree walked over with two bundles in her arms.

"Do you each want to hold one," she questioned the couple.

"Yes, that's perfect Bree," Natasha answered. At the same moment, she felt the warm infant slip into her arms. He was wrapped in a light blue blanket and wore a matching knit blue hat. Natasha looked down into his sweet sleeping face and it took her breath away. She felt overwhelmed by joy and pride. She couldn't put her thoughts into words, for there were no words for her emotions at that moment. An instant later, she saw Steve's expression change as he looked at his daughter for the very first time. And then she realized that she was crying—they both were. Steve looked lovingly at his daughter for a moment before moving to put her in Natasha's arms. She was wrapped in a light pink blanket with a pink knit cap that had a bow embellishment. Natasha took a moment to look into the faces of her world—her husband and her two children.

Bree interrupted her thoughts after a moment. "I'm sorry to rush things, but do you have names picked out yet? We will get their birth certificated drawn up for you."

"Yes Bree," Steve answered. We do have names picked out. Our son is James Steven Rogers, and our daughter is Lucy Margaret Natalia Rogers," Steve said, never taking his eyes off his children.

"Great, thank you. And Captain, you can bring in visitors when you want. I figured that you would want to inform them yourself. I'll leave you two alone now." Bree stated and the silently left the room.

"Steve, they're perfect," Natasha said in awe as she handed Steve James to hold. She looked down at Lucy to find a pair of bright blue eyes staring at her. "Hi there. I'm your mom," Natasha mused to her daughter with a smile. "And this guy here is your dad," she said, indicating Steve. Curiosity getting the better of her, she removed Lucy's pink hat to reveal bright red fuzz on her head.

"Looks like she got her mother's hair," Steve said contently as he removed James' hat next. There was a layer of golden (almost white) blond hair underneath.

"And he has his daddy's hair. And eyes," Natasha noted as James looked up at his father.

"Natasha, they're gorgeous," he said as he slipped James back into his mother's arms. They both continued to coo over their children for what seemed like forever until Steve spoke again. "I'd better go tell everyone waiting. Are you sure you're up for the visit?"

"Yes of course. They need to enjoy this moment too," the redhead replied. "Now go get them, they're been waiting long enough." With that, Steve left Natasha with their children to go get the others.

* * *

"Okay, _what_ is taking so long?" Tony questioned impatiently. "We've been sitting in this waiting room for eleven and a half hours!"

"It takes a while Tony, I'm sure it will be over soon," Pepper lightly patted his hand. All of them had been waiting in the floor's waiting room all night while Natasha gave birth. Even Thor managed to come and join them sometime that morning. None of them had slept, and they were all irritable.

"Let's hope," Clint added as he took a sip of the coffee Maria had just brought him. "Ew. This hospital coffee is terrible," he said through a grossed-out expression.

"I agree with that," Bruce said. The six of them were beginning to get anxious. Fury and Sam had been called away because of work, but the rest of them were determined to stay awake.

Just then, Steve appeared through the waiting room doors, a huge grin on his face. All of the Avengers stood up at the sight of him. "So guys, do you want to come meet our kids?" the super soldier questioned before he led everyone excitedly back to Natasha's room.

* * *

Natasha looked up from her children as she heard Steve enter the room—company in tow. They quietly filed into the room, and surrounded the hospital bed as Steve stood beside Natasha.

"Oh my god, look at them!" Pepper exclaimed, clasping her hands together and bringing them to her face.

"They're gorgeous!" Maria added.

"Thank you," Natasha said, looking back down at the two bundles. "He was born first, then she came six minutes after he arrived."

"They're so tiny Tasha," Clint said in amazement, bending down over Natasha to get a closer look. "What are their names?"  
"Oh that's right, we need to determine who won our little name game," Bruce brought up.

"Well, nobody actually won," Steve said with a smirk, but two of you picked correct names."

"But don't you want to hold them first?" Natasha said playfully.

"Of course we do! Come on, let me see the little munchkins," Tony chimed in.

"You'll have to wait your turn Tony!" Pepper said half jokingly.

"Okay, here we go," Natasha said as she slowly passed her children on to her 'family'. Clint and Pepper looked down at the infants they were now holding. "Clint, you're holding James Steven Rogers. So Pepper, you guessed his name right."  
"And Pepper is holding our daughter, Lucy Margaret Natalia Rogers. So Clint guessed her name correctly," Steve added.

"Oh come on, there's no Tony in there anywhere?" Tony said sadly but playfully as everyone laughed at the quip and soaked in the moment.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope that everyone liked this update! Please don't hesitate to leave me feedback ad suggestions! I am going to continue this story and hopefully update more frequently. Thank you to everyone for the continued support, you guys are awesome! :)

-Fhockey42


	11. You'll Get Used To It

"Hopefully Pepper won't get too many ideas," Tony quietly said to the archer on his left as he observed the strawberry blond women ogle over the two newborns.

"Don't worry Tony, I'm sure you'll come around one day," Clint said teasingly. Steve, Thor, and Bruce had left the room to get food for Natasha—even though she insisted that she wasn't hungry. That left the two men standing in the corner of the hospital room, watching the three women sitting on the hospital bed. Clint couldn't remember the last time that Natasha seemed genuinely happy like this. Maybe it was on her wedding day. The spy was still laid up in bed, and looked utterly exhausted. Nevertheless, the smile she now wore ceased to leave her pale face.

Pepper stared down into the sleeping face of Lucy Rogers. "I think she's a mix," she said with a smile.

"I agree," Maria chimed in. "Although this one here is all Steve. I can tell he's going to be just like his daddy," she looked down with a smile to find the bright blue eyes of James Rogers staring back at her. The two were seated on the bed on either side of the Black Widow.

"I don't see how you guys can tell. I mean besides the hair color," Natasha said lightly.

"Oh come on Nat," Pepper continued. "Lucy has your hair, no question. And her eyes are likely to change to be more green like yours. And James is all Steve. He's already got those light eyes. Maybe his hair will darken a little, but I doubt it."

"When did you become an expert," Natasha teased sarcastically. The three were interrupted as Lucy began to fuss. The baby let out a cry that attracted Natasha's immediate attention. "I think she's hungry," she said as Pepper handed the infant to her mother. Natasha began to feed her daughter a bottle as everyone in the room turned their attention to her.

"Is she ok? What does she need?" Steve's big voice permeated through the room as he Thor, and Bruce returned with boxes of Chinese food. He swiftly walked to his wife's side to see if he could be of assistance.

"Yes, I think she just needs to be fed. Although, I'm not exactly sure how this whole parenting thing works yet," she said innocently.

"Well, we're all with you on that one," Maria added.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it," Bruce added. "You're new at this Natasha. It will get easier once you get the two of them on a schedule."

"I hope so," Steve said with a small laugh as he took his son into his arms. "He's so quiet compared to his sister."

"Capsicle, they're like 7 hours old. Give it a few days," Tony piped in, clasping Steve on the back.

"I guess you're right Stark."  
"Aren't I always?"

"Let's not get too carried away now," Steve continued. "Want to hold him?" he asked Iron Man motioning to the baby in his arms.

"Let me see him," Tony said with a smile as Steve handed over his son. "He's so little. Ya know Cap, I'm going to spoil these two rotten." Tony began to bounce James up and down as he shifted from side to side.

"I'm not sure bouncing him like that is such a good idea," Steve warned. "He just ate not too long ago."

"Steve, I think I can handle him. It's not like he's going to—" Tony was cut off abruptly by a small cough as James' spit up started creeping down his shoulder. The remaining Avengers let out comparable laughs at the billionaire's stunned reaction.

"That's my boy!" Natasha said excitedly, giving Tony a playful smile.

"Yeah, well he's lucky he's cute. This is a custom jacket. Irreplaceable actually," Tony said, holding the baby away from his body.

"Oh get over it Tony," Pepper sternly warned as she took James into her arms. "There, now I think we need to get you cleaned up."

"Do you need assistance with the baby?" Thor questioned politely.

"No thanks Thor, I think—" All heads turned toward the door as the nurse, Bree, entered the room.

"Sorry to interrupt again," she said shyly. "But visiting hours are over in five minutes, so I'm going to have to ask everyone to leave."

"Okay, but we're taking the Chinese food back to the tower Tash," Clint stated matter-of-factly.

"It's all yours," the spy said as Bree left the room. "Thanks for sticking around everyone, it really means a lot to Steve and I."

"There's no where else we'd rather be," Maria said fondly, covering Natasha's free hand with her own. "But I guess it is time for us to go. We'll give you and Steve some alone time with your kids," she concluded.

Two minutes later, Natasha and Steve were alone in the hospital room with their children.

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" Steve questioned as he wiped the spit up from his son's mouth.

"No, I'm fine," his wife responded. "I'm better than fine Steve. I'm so happy that my family is together finally. And that we get to go home tomorrow."

"Yeah, me too. Let's just enjoy our last full night of sleep before we're on our own," the soldier said as Bree reentered the room and took James and Lucy away for the night. Steve walked over to turn out the lights before returning to set up a cot next to Natasha's hospital bed. "Goodnight Natasha. I love you," he said as he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Night Steve. You know I love you too. Forever."

* * *

**A/N**: Sorry that this update is short! I'm having some creativity issues, so if anyone has any ideas, I'm open to suggestions! Once again, thanks so much to everyone who continues to read and support this story!


	12. Sounds Like a Plan to Me

"Okay, Is everybody ready to go home?" Steve Rogers questioned as he looked to the backseat of the SUV. Natasha Romanoff stared back at him with a smile. She was squeezed in between the two car seats that now occupied the back of the car. Naturally, Steve checked the car seats three times before deeming them safe for his children.

"More than ready Captain," Natasha replied happily. She wanted more than anything to return home to their house in D.C. However, she wasn't looking forward to the four-hour drive with two newborns.

"You sure they're in tight Nat?"

"Yes Steve, they're not going anywhere. If these straps are pulled any tighter they're going to suffocate."

"Alright, I guess I'm just paranoid when it comes to my family," Steve said with a crooked smile.

"You're paranoid about everything," Natasha said teasingly. "Now can we get out of here? I'd be much more comfortable in my own home."

"Yes ma'am. As you wish," Steve said quietly as he pulled away from the hospital.

* * *

"I thought that babies were supposed to like the car!" Natasha half-shouted over the screams of her now crying daughter.

"Well apparently she doesn't!" Steve replied. "She's just like her mother—feisty and lethal when she doesn't get what she wants." Natasha shot Steve an angry look as he pulled off the highway into a service station. Natasha unbuckled her seatbelt as Steve brought the car to a stop in the parking lot.

"I'll take care of her Steve, keep an eye on James?" Natasha stated.

"Sounds like a plan," Steve replied.

"Okay, come here baby girl," Natasha said as she lifted Lucy out of the car sear and into her arms. "What's the matter, huh?" Lucy's blue eyes stared into her mother's green ones as Natasha frowned at the pained expression on her daughter's face.

"Nat?" Steve said as he walked around to the other side of the car where his wife was standing. "James is fine, he's actually still sleeping. Is Lucy alright?"

"I don't know what's wrong with her!" Natasha said, a rare look of confusion on her face. "I fed her not long ago, and her diaper isn't wet or anything. What do I do Steve?"

"Here, let me see her," the soldier replied as he took the small form into his muscular arms. "Alright Luce, what's the matter? You don't like the car very much I see. Not like your brother in there sleeping," Steve continued to talk to the infant in a soothing voice until she eventually calmed down several minutes later.

"How do you do it Steve?" Natasha said quietly as she took Lucy back into her arms.

"I don't know. Maybe she just likes it when people talk to her."

"Maybe. Thank you anyway for calming her down. I honestly have no clue what the hell I'm doing."

"I feel the same Natasha. But don't worry; we're going to figure everything out together. Okay?"

"Okay, I hope you're right," Natasha replied. She began strapping Lucy back into her car seat and noticed that her small eyelids were beginning to blink sluggishly. "I think that a certain little girl tired herself out. Are you ready to take a nap like your brother?" Natasha retook her seat in the middle of the two car seats as she pulled a pink blanket over her slowly fading daughter. Steve reentered the car and buckled himself into the driver's seat.

"Is everybody good?" he whispered to his wife.

"We're all clear. They're both out now. Let's just hope we don't have any more trouble before we get home."

* * *

"We're home!" Steve whispered enthusiastically as he and his family pulled into the driveway of their house. Thankfully, the twins had slept through the remainder of the ride and they didn't have to stop again.

"Thank gosh, I can't wait to get inside and get settled," the spy said quietly. "I'll get James. He woke up about ten minutes ago," Natasha stated as she got out of the car and began to carefully life James' carrier out of the car.

"Really?" Steve questioned as he did the same with Lucy's carrier. Gratefully, she was still asleep. "I didn't hear him wake up. I guess he's quiet like you Tash," Steve said with a small laugh.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here Steve. They're a day old," she replied. The couple began to walk up the path to their house when Natasha stopped them with a hand gesture. She motioned for Steve to take James' carrier, and he did so. Natasha motioned to the house as she slowly approached it, not making a sound. She silently unlocked the door as she heard movement from inside the house. She immediately was filled with apprehension and her instincts kicked in. The Black Widow soundlessly opened the door as she simultaneously drew her gun from its holster and pointed it at the intruders.

"SURPRISE!" a loud burst of noise erupted from the house as Natasha was staring at her group of friends. Tony any Pepper, Clint, Maria, Bruce, Thor and Jane, Nick, and Sam were all gathered in the foyer. On the ceiling above them hung a banner that read "Welcome Home James and Lucy" in neat handwriting. Natasha immediately relaxed and motioned for Steve to come into the house.

"Chill out Tash, it's just us," Clint said as he walked up to his partner and gave her a hug.

"Yeah, well I'm a little on edge right now. But guys, thank you so much I wasn't expecting this."

"Are you surprised?" Steve questioned, a sheepish grin on his face.

"You knew about this Steve?"

"Yes. And I wanted you to be surprised—even if it was just a little bit."

"Wow, thanks so much everyone. I hate to be the party-ruiner here, but could you guys keep the volume down please? We had a hard time getting Lucy to calm down and eventually go to sleep," the redhead asked quietly.

"Oh don't worry we'll be good," Tony said in a low voice.

"Come on Nat, I heard that some babies will sleep through anything," Clint said rather loudly.

"Well let's not test that theory out today," Natasha replied.

"Hey you two! Welcome home!" Clint yelled as he bent down close to the twins' car seats that Steve put down on the floor. As if on cue, Lucy awoke and both infants started to scream. Their cries filled the house as everyone turned to glare at the archer.

"Whoops. My bad," Clint said quietly as he started backing away from Natasha.

"Clint what did I say?! I'm going to kill you!" Natasha shouted, moving towards the archer with her pistol drawn.

"I'm sorry Natasha, that was my fault," Clint apologized earnestly.

"Okay, fine. Apology accepted," she said, lowering her weapon. "But as punishment, you're going to help me calm them down," she stated sternly. "And Steve, I believe that Clint will be staying over tonight to help me feed the twins throughout the night," Natasha said, never taking her eyes off of Clint.

"Sounds like a plan to me Nat," Steve affirmed as he came up behind Clint and clasped him on the back.

* * *

**A/N:** I apologize for the lack of an update! Also, I hope that everyone had a nice holiday weekend. Happy (late) 4th of July!

-Fhockey42


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